6 more named welcoming congregations

The list of certified welcoming congregations in Southwest Texas continued to grow this month.
Bethany UMC, Austin, became the first congregation in the Austin District Nov. 14 to earn the welcoming-church designation.
St. Paul’s UMC, Kerrville, became the second congregation in the Kerrville District Nov. 9 to make the list.
First UMC, Lampasas, a third Kerrville District congregation, was named a welcoming congregation Nov. 11.
Schertz UMC became the second certified welcoming congregation in the San Antonio District Nov. 14.
Universal City UMC, a third San Antonio District congregation, joined the group Nov. 16.
Travis Park UMC, San Antonio, a fourth San Antonio District congregation, was added Nov. 17.
Southwest Texas now has 29 certified welcoming congregations, the most of any conference in the eight-state South Central Jurisdiction.
Fifteen of the other welcoming congregations are in the McAllen District. Five are in the Victoria District.
Granted by the General Commission on Communication, certification means each congregation has systematically evaluated its hospitality and intentionally embraced a lifestyle of welcoming newcomers. Congregations need to renew their certification annually.
The certification program is part of the denominationwide Igniting Ministry hospitality and image campaign. Certified congregations earn a special designation in the “Find a church” database at www. unitedmethodist.org. Certifications must be renewed annually.
Lay Leader Jay Brim of Austin set a goal of having at least 200 Southwest Texas congregations certified by June 2006. He announced that target June 3 during his lay leader’s report to the Southwest Texas Annual Conference session in Corpus Christi.
To earn certification, congregations must qualify for at least 100 points on a yearly checklist of welcoming activities. Those include designating a welcoming coordinator, training church members in welcoming techniques and doing various things around the church to make it more inviting to visitors.
District superintendents must sign each checklist to confirm the information reported.
Checklists are available at ignitingministry.org.